I can’t believe how fast time flies – the one below was taken in Tampa the first time we lived there. Forgive the bad quality of the scan – one of these days, all of our old photos will get rescanned at a higher resolution.

I wasn’t sure I was going to get a top quilted today but luckily I did since I only have 5 more quilting days while I’m here. The next 4 days will be family time as will the last day and I’ll need one day to close up shop since we won’t be back until March. I really, really need more time here and the goal will be to spend anywhere from 4-6 weeks here next summer.

This is one of my HeartStrings tops started back in Dec 2012 and it’s been waiting for quilting a long time. I used the pantograph Seaweed on it – there be a better photo of it when it’s bound.

In addition to getting my machines set up and this one quilted, I pieced a back and unpacked all the supplies from the car – we have two levels here at the condo and there’s a spiral staircase between them. Usually I take bulky items down the outside stairs but I decided the batting would fit without too much difficulty. Luckily, it’s just a 20 yard roll rather than the 30 yard ones I usually buy.

I also spent way too long digging through my bins trying to pull fabric for another HeartStrings challenge quilt inspired by Sharon’s planned HeartStrings quilts. Mine are usually really scrappy like the one at the top of this post but I love how my first Sharon quilt turned out so I’m ready to do another.

Unfortunately, with the fabric in bins, it’s really hard to find the 8, one yard pieces I need. After finding lots of half yard pieces that would work rather than full yards, I decided I would make a smaller 24 block quilt for the challenge. I’ve got 3 extra fabrics here because I won’t start this until I’m back in FL and I want to have some wiggle room in case my first 8 choices don’t work. The wider stripe on the right will be my center string and obviously it’s the inspiration for my other fabrics.

I’ve done more unknitting than knitting the last three days on both my Eyeblink shawl and this little hat but at least I finished this one. I really should make more hats – one, they’re quick even when I make mistakes and two, I wouldn’t make stupid mistakes if I made them more often. I was going to use two circulars for the decreases on this one but couldn’t remember what I needed to do so I pulled back the mistake(s) and used double pointed needles. I’ll look up the “how to” before starting another hat but I’ve got all the needles packed for my trip so one way or another I’ll finish one or two more.

The quilting is finished on the small 16 patch top. It didn’t take long yesterday once I got started and now it’s trimmed and ready for binding. It’s a simple top with simple quilting but I love the fabrics (fat quarters from Connecting Threads) and it’s simplicity. Originally I’d intended this one as a donation quilt but I’m finding that I need some smaller quilts around the house here and at Big Canoe for the children when they visit so I’ll keep this one. It will be bound when I get home in a few weeks.

I’m also gathering up my knitting projects for the next few weeks – I’ll continue on the two shawls both of which are more than half done, and I’ll work on some hats – the first one was started last night.

I don’t sell my quilts, luckily I’m in a position that I can make them and donate to a number of worthy causes but I know that for some, being able to sell their quilts allows them to at a minimum, support their quilting habit if not actually contribute to their household income.

Keith was telling me the other day he read that Amazon was getting into the business of selling handmade items – competing with etsy.com and today I got a notice in my email advertising that part of their business. In some ways I’m shocked at what price some people list some of their very simple items (I wouldn’t pay them) but maybe people who aren’t able to make them are willing to pay. Who knows. At any rate, I thought I’d share the Amazon link here in case any of you were interested in investigating it for yourself. I find it very cool that there are options for people wanting to make and sell their craft items these days other than attending local craft shows.

I’m getting ready to hit the road for 3 and a half weeks so today and tomorrow I’m trying to wrap up what I can and get packed. Keith will be back and forth so at least I don’t have to worry about leaving the house empty.

First up today was finishing all the blocks for the RWB Brick quilt – it will be waiting here on my design wall for me to assemble when I get back. The quilt would look great with a border or two but I love quilts without borders and the antique quilt that was my inspiration didn’t have a border either. I’ll just bind this one in a darker blue.

So much for this quilt being the leftover quilt – I still have a bin full of the RWB fabrics used so I’ll have to come up with a few more ideas but for now, this bin is going to be tucked away.

I’ve got all my supplies I’ll need in GA set aside and we’ll pack the car later today while Keith is here to help. The only thing I didn’t get done this time while I was home was finishing the hand quilting on the little 16 patch top but if I don’t knit at all today or tomorrow I just might be able to get it done.

I had a lot of questions about the size of the brick I’m using for the red/white/blue quilt and the quick answer is 2.5 x 4.5 inches although mostly I’m using 2.5 inch leftover strips — I prefer to strip piece my quilts whenever possible — and I had a bunch of leftover strips from both the Chevron Rail Fence and my Framed 9 Patches.

I love one patch quilts and it just so happens that the leftovers from the Chevron Rail Fence top were perfect to recreate an antique quilt I found on eBay. It’s super simple and I’m flying through making the blocks. If it looks kind of sloppy up on the design wall it’s because I’m not pressing the last couple seams on each block until I have them placed where I want them.